Pin-setter.



10.853,212. Y' PATBNTED MAY 14, 1907. H. J. ANDERSON.

PIN SETTER.

APrLIoATIoN FILED snPT.1a.1ooe.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

No. 853,212. PATENTED MAY 14, 190'7. H. J. ANDERSON.

PIN SBITEB.. ArBLIoATIoN' FILED l1sm T.1a,19o.

.5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTBD MAY 14, 1907.

H. J. ANDERSON.

PIN SETTER. PPLIoATIoN rILnn 'snPT.1s,19oe.

5 snBnT's-snsm' a.

i PATENTED MAY 14, 1907. H. J. ANDERSON.

PIN SETTER. APPLIoATIoN FILED sE'PTL 13,1ooe.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 853,212; P ATENTED MAY 14, 1907. H. J. ANDERSON.

PIN SETTER.

APPLIoATIoN FILED sBPT.13,19oe.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

/32 I sa J3 53 it l Z0 J4! i @Mm HANS J. ANDERSON, or LAKEMILLS,wiscoNsIN.-

' PIN-SETTER.

To A'L1/ZZ uihom it may concern:

` Be it known that I, HANS J. ANDERSON,

i residingin Lakemills, in the county of Jefferson and State fWisconsin; have' invented new and useful Improvements in Pin-Setters, ofwhich the following is a description, reference being had totheaccompanying drawings, which are a part of this; s ecification.,

This invention relates to pm setters and has for its object to rovide ameans for accurately and speedi y setting tenpins mechanically.

The invention comprises a lowering mechanism 'for each tenpin whichwillhold the pin in a position directly above its roper position on thealley, and which w en released will slowly lower with the pin until thepin is seated in its proper position, when it automatically detachesitselfirom the in and returns to its upper position, the re ease of thepin lowering mechanisms being accomplished' either singly or in numbers.

Another object ofthis invention is to separateithe releasing means fromthe pin lowering mechanisms andavoid interference with the operation ofplacing the tenpins .in said mechanisms, and to rovide a frame forguiding the tenpins in suc operation.'

Another object of this invention is to improve upon the details ofconstruction of the releasing mechanism and of the pin loweringmechanism and of other features hereinafter lmore fully set forth.

With the above andother objects in view, the invention consists in thepin setter fas herein claimed, vits parts and combinations of arts,andall equivalents.

' eferring to the accompanying drawings in lwhich like characters ofreference indicate the same parts in the several views:-Figure 1 is aront'elevation of a pin setterconstructed' in accordance with thisIinvention and showing one 'row of pins in the act of-be ing placed inposition by their lowering means yand the others supported in theirupper positions ready for being lowered; Fig. 2

fis a side elevation thereofiwith all ofthe lpins set; Fig. '3 is a planview of lthe lower frame with the ins in place 'therein Fig. 4 is a planview of t e intermediate frame; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showingdetails of construction of the' releasing means; Fig. 6 is a plan viewofparts thereof; Fig. 7 is aseotional elevation of a pin lowering pocketin Specilcation of Letters IIatQnt. Application filed September 18,1906. Serial No. 334,418.

of thel lower transverse sectional view taken on the plane of line 949of Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is a similar view taken on the plane of line 10-10ofFi 7; Fig. 11'isa sectional elevation of the reeasing mechanismshowing the operating lever;

Patented' Mey 14, 1907.

portion thereofjFig. 9 yis a and, Fig. 12 is a plan view thereof. Fig.131 j is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 7 of av modicatioln ofthe pin lowering pocket; Fig. 14 is a side elevation 'a lan view.

n these drawings 15, 16 and 17 represent respectively',the top frame,the intermediate thereof; and, Fig. 1'5, is

frame, and the bottom frame, all of triangular shape and suspended fromabove by means of three vertical rods 18 which pass through and aresecured to said frame near 'their corners, the whole constituting arigid framework suspended from the ceiling or 1g other overhead supportvdirectly above the floor or raised portlon 19 ofa bowling alley. The topframe 15 and the intermediate frame 16 are preferabl of angle ironconstruction. and the lower framea17 may be of sheet metal or castmetalconstruction with openings 20 therethroughof such a size as tofreely permit the tenpins 21 passing through them., The openings 20 arearranged in the order of a tenpinset-/up so-as to be directly above thespots or' positions on the bowling alley where .the tenpins are re'-qpired to stand at the commencementl of the p ay.

A pin lowering pocket is provided for each of the o ening's 20 and isadapted tovreceive one vof t e tenpins 'andi hold it in position in withthe in to stand it in place and then 'auf tomatica ly disengages from itand returns to its elevated normal position, f Each or' these pinlowering pockets consists of a ring` 22 of approximately the sameinternal diameter asv the openings 20, and provided with oppositelextending side projections23 throug whic a pair of rodsforming legs 24are'slidably mounted to move vertically, so as to extend their upperends above the top surface of the the frame 17 until released, whenit-lowers loo ring 22 more or less. inwardly extending lug 25 is carriedbyseach of the legs 24 to.

'travel in aslot of the ring and` ride upon a cam surface of. an arm 26which is pivoted 'in said slot and causes it to swing inwardly when theleg 24 is moved downwardl by striking the frame 1 7. A stop pin 27limits y5 the act of placing a pin Fig. 8 is a plan view the outwardswing of the arm 26 when the rio'.

lug is raised out of engagement therewith and also serves as a guide'for the le`g 24'. The two oppositelydisposed arms of each ring 22 .areprovided with curved engaging plates 28 at their lower ends which form apocket or receptacle vbetween them when the arms are forced inwardly bythe action of the lugs on their cam surfaces. sliding movement of thelegs 24 shall not be too free, spring retarding means 24 are secured byscrews to the side projections 23 so as to be adjustable, and haveinwardly eX-l tending lugs passing through openings in said projectionsand bearing against the legs. By

adjustinv the screws the pressure of the lugs against the legs may bevaried to increase or diminish the friction roduced and therebyenable-the legs to be ully thrown from one Each ring is supportedposition to the other on striking the iioor or the lower frame 17, butprevent inde end nt movements thereof at `other times. iiher egs 24 areprovided with cushioning tips 29 pn their lower ends to prevent marringthe sury face of the bowling-"l alley when the ring is lowered.`

byvmeans cfa pair of guide rods 30, which pass through perforations inthe frame17 on either side of the openings 20, and are connected attheir upper ends between the'top frame 15 and. the

intermediate frame 16 by a cross iece 31 having a cord or rope 32leading 'rom the middlexthereof over a pulleyV 33 on the top frame witha weight 34 suspended on the 's position.

other end'. The pulleys V33 are mounted on parallel angle-iron crossbars 35 secured across the upper frame 15, and the guide rods 30 arepreferably guided b rollers 36`on the lower frame 17 aiid'by rol ers 37on', arallel strips 33 of the intermediate frame, e rollers 36 and 37being on op osite sides of the guiderods to keep them a ways ina'vertioal The weights 34 are sufficiently heavy to overcome the weightof the empty movable pockets but are in turn overcomev by the weight'ofsaid pockets when tenpinsV are con-f tainedtherein, so that it isnecessary to. rovide means for locking the ocketsin t ieir raisedpositions to enable t em to support the pins. To this end, catch rods 39extend between the top frame and the intermediate.

:frame with their ends journaled in theparlallelcross bars 35 and 38thereof and have cam teeth 40 to 'engage the crosshpiecesl when thepockets are in the upper position. Each catch rod 39 has a crank 41fixed on its lower end, and rods 42 are pivoted tosaid cranks and extendrearwardly to the back of the "intermediate frame where they arerovidedfwith'handles42 with `notches ont eir undersides to engage the uper edge of a strip 43. The strip 43 exten s along the entire rear edgeofy the intermediate frame and 6 5 is mounted so as to move rearwardlythere- In order that the- \from b being suspended on arched hinges 44.en any one of the handles 42 is lifted out lof engagement withy thestrip 43 and is pulled, rearwardly, it turns .the catch rod 39 y meansof the crankI 41 and thereby swings the engaging tooth 40 frombeneath.the cross piece 31, allowing the pocket containing the pin to descend.vWhen the strip 43 is movedA to the rear it causes the release of all ofthe pocketsby the connection of the handles 42 therewith. Any`suitablemeans may be provided for swinging the :strip 43 rearwardly, buttheconstruction'shown in Figs. 11 and 12 is preferred, wherein a lever45 is pivotally mountedon the intermediate frame and has a toggle link46 connecting it with the upper edge of the strip 43, so that as thelever 45 is forced. downwardly the strip 43 .is swung rearwardly, and asthe lever 45 is lreturned to its up er position the strip 43 islikewise-returner to its forward position.VV i Y The lower frame 17, asshown in Fig. 3, is preferably provided with an'upstanding flangearoundl its serrated edges and is also provided 'with pairs of parallelguide ribs 47 leading to the three pockets nearest the front from thepockets directly behind them, and this vis `to facilitate -the placingof the 'more distant pins.

In operation, the"pockets are normally in their upper/position locked bythe catch rods 39, so that the pins may be placed in them and remain inthe upper position until they are desired to be set. This isaccomplished by pulling thelever 4.5 rearwardly so as to swing the strip43 away from the intermediate frame and thereby turn all of the catchrods 39 by means of their cranks to move jtheir engaging teethI outLofthe path of the v kcross pieces. When so released the pockets'l lslowly drop to the iioor beneath and strike on the egs 24 which, arethereby driven upthey will again hold a pinv:e'tween them.

A sthe pocket reaches its normal upper position the orosspiece 31 againsprin s over the cam tooth'40. of the trip rod 39, w -ch is suf- IOOiciently/yielding to spring and, allow of this engagement. When it isdesired to place a single/pin, the proper handle 42 is lifted fromengagement with the strip 43 and pulled 'rearwardly to release thesingle pocketand allow it to o` erate as above described, independentlyothe others.

- It is apparent from the illustration of the ISO ' 3c these pairs ofnuts forming adjustable stops legs.

goengagingarms 26 from the tenpin, so that upwardl by striking theoorand tobe 11f` lower frame 17 shown in Fig. 3 that this upwardlyonstriking the -iioor to release the f frame serves as an unobstructedguide for lugs from engagement with the cams and the placing of thetenpins in the pockets, so permit the arms to swing outwardly, and thatthe operationm'aybe quickly and easily" means inthe path of the legs toforce them 5 performed Without danger of injuring the downwardly whenthe pocketisraised. 7.o operating parts. 2. In a pin setter, a pinAlowering means Obviously there are many details of concomprising a ringmounted to have vertical struction here shown and described whichmovements, rods slidable in the ring to form are not essential to theinvention in its broadlegs for striking the floor when the ring vis v1 uest scope, and that various changes mayzbe lowered, arms 'carried by thefor holding 7'5 resorted to without departing from the 1na tenpinbetween them, and pted to be? vention as claimed. held by the legs whenin their lower position, In this modification the legs 24 are dismeansfor engaging thelegs and forcing them'- pensed with and the pin engagingarms 26 downwardly when the ringisraised to lts ulpare operated upon bythe arms of a U- per position, and means for retarding t e shapedlever50.which is pivoted at its cX- movements of the legs.

' tremities to laterally. extending lugs 51 on 3. In a pin setter, a pinlowering means the ring 22, the arms, of the lever passing comprising aring adapted to-have verticalthrough slots in the side Iprojections 23of the movements, rods s 'dable throughy the ring A zo ring and engagingthe cam surfaces of the and forming legs adapted to be moved 1up- 85arms 26. for this purpose. The U-shaped `war'dly by engagement with. theliioor, arms lever 5() is connected to a vertical controlling pivotallymounted on the ring and ladapted rod 52 which passes through an openingin to be forced inwardly lby the legs when in' the lower frame 17 andhas a cross piece 53 at their lower position, means tofbe 'engaged e5its upper end slidably mounted on one of the by the legs when the ringis raised lto its 90 'guide rods 80. A pair of jam nuts54 are upperposition for forcing said legs downthreaded on the controlling rod 52near its' wardly, and spring retardmg means for the.

upper end and a similar pair of jam nuts 55 legs comprising springpressed lugs adjust# are threadedI thereon near its lower end, ablyclamped to the r1ng and bearing on the for striking against the lowerframe 17 dur- 4. In apinsetter, aframe having openings 95 ing themovements, of the pin lowering4v through which the pins may pass',r1ngsform` pocket. Y ing pin lowering pockets beneath the open- As the pinlowering pocket rises the conings of the frame to receive' the pins when3 5 trolling rod 52 moves upwardly therewith -placed through said'openings, guide rods se- 1e@` until the lower stop 55 engages the bottomof cured to the rings and passing through open the lower frame 17 and isheld thereby while ings in the frame, a suspending'meansfor the thepocket completes its movement, thus lowering pockets capab e of liftingthe empty c aising the 'U-shaped lever 50 to swing ockets and of beingovercome by the weight 4o downwardly and move its arms along the ofthetenpins in the ockets, means for reto,

cam surfaces of the pin engaging arms 26 to leasably holding the oweringpockets, said move said arms together to a position in rings having sideprojections, arms pivotallyl which they will hold a tenpin 21. -When theconnected in slots of ,the rings, curved plates pin loweringpocket isreleased, the'weight of carried bythe arms, guide pins in the said thetenpin lowers 1t as before described until slots for limiting theposition of the arms, 11o

theupper stop 54 engages the lower frame 17 rodsslidable through thering and vhaving and the slight further movement of they lugs forengaging the cam surfaces of `the pocket'causes the controlling rod 52to lift arms and forcing said arms'to swing in-` the U-shaped lever .andrelease the pin wardly, said legs being adapted to be moved the poc tmay ascend without the tenpin` moved ownwardly by striking the frame, aswith the previously described construction. and means for preventingaccidental move- The release of the -tenpin may be timed ment of thelegs comprising spring lugs, adto take place as soon as it reaches thefloor justably clampedvto the'side extensions of 5 5 by the adjustmentof the jam nuts 54 and the the1`rings and projecting through openings 12a degree of closure of the arms' 26 may be into frictional engagementwith the legs. changedby the adjustment of the janfnuts 55. 5. In a pinsetter, a frame having openings What I claim as my Vinvention is;through which the pins 'may `pass,` lowering 1. In a pin setter,a pinlowering pocket pockets lbeneath the openings Aof the frame to 6ocomprising -a ring, yarms`pivotallymoun`ted receive the pins, guide rodsby means of 125` on the ring, a lcam on eacharm, legs slidwhich thelowering pockets are suspen ed able through the ring, lugs on the legsfor enpassing throughaopenngs ofthe frame, said gaging the cams of thearms andforcing them frame constituting a table for guiding the inwardlywhen the legs are moved downpins tothe pockets, and another framelowardly, said legs being adapted to be moved cated above the firstmentioned frame and 13o, i

. sis

' provided with means 'f'for" controlling the lowering pockets..I

6. -In a pinsetter, a frame-having openings through which the pins maypass, lowering pocketsbeneath the openings of the frame to receive thepins, guide rods by, means of which the lowering ockets are suspendediprassing through openings ofthe frame, said guide rods for supportingand releasing ythe ame constituting a table for guiding .the

pins to the pockets, guide ribs formed on saidv `table and constitutingtracks leading to the foremost openings thereof to guide the pins'to`sa1d openings, and means for rele'asablyv engaging-the guide rods.

,7. 'In a pin setter, a frame having openings through which the pins maypass, lowering pockets beneath the openings of the fraineto receive thepins, guide rods by means of which the'loweringpockets are suspendedvprassing through openings of the frame, said ame constituting a tablefor guiding the prins to the pockets, rollers mounted on the ame andbearing on the guiderods, another frame located. above the' rstmentioned frame, rollers thereon engaging the guide rods on the oppositeside to the engagementv of rthe rollerson the first mentioned frame,

t land means' on said other frame for engaging and releasing the guiderods for .holding the lowering pockets in an upper position or allowingthem to descend.

. 8. In a pin setter, a pair of frames one ar-j ranged above the other,pulleys mounted on the upper frame, guides on the other frame, pinlowering pockets having guide rods pass- 1ng through said guides, acrosspiece con-V necting the guide rods of each loweringframe,

lines connected with the 'cross pieces Aand passing over the pulleys,weights suspended y the lines capable of lifting theernpt-y low.-

ering pockets but: being overbalance -by the weight of the pins in saidlowering pockets', Acatch rods extending between the twoframes andjournaled therein, vteeth on the catch v rods for' enga 'ng thecrosspiec'es of the vguide rods, an cranks on the catch -rods by meansof which said rods may be turned to remove the teeth rom engagementwith, the cross pieces and Vthereby release the lowering pockets.

' necting t 9. In a pin setter, a pair of -frames one arranged above theother, pulleys mounted on the upper frame, -guides on the otherrame, inlowering pockets having gulde rods passing through said guides, -across'piece conlframe, a line connected with each cross Apiece and`passing over one of the pulleys, a weight suspended by the line capa leof lifting the empt lowering ocket but being 'overhall *ance by theWeight of the pin in said lowering pocket, catch rodsextending betweenthe two frames and 4journaled therein, teeth on the catch rods forengaging'the crosspieces e guide rods' of each loweringl `pin loweringpockets' having guide rods passing through said guides, across piececonnecting the guide rods of each Ilowering frame, a line connectedwith-each cross piece and passin from one ofthe ulleys, a weightsuspended y'the .line capable of lifting the ance by the weight of thepin' in said lowering pocket', catch rods' extending between the twoframes and j ournaled therein, teeth on -enipt lowering pocket butbein'goverbalthe catch rods for en agingfrthe Vcross pieces ofthe guide rods,cran s on the catch rodsv by means of 'which said rods may turnedtoremove the teeth from engagement with the cross pieces and therebyrelease the lowering pockets, handles connected with said cranks forindependent release of the lowering pockets, a strip hinged \t"o thelower frame and ladapted to' engage the' handles, and a toggle lever forswinging the stri andv causing the! 'simultaneous releasp of al of thelowermg pockets. a pin setter, a' lower 'frame and an roointermediate'frame and an upperirame suspended one above another at aldistance apart, the lower frame having openings through which the pinsmay pockets' located beneath eac opening of the owerfra-me andcomprising rings, arms pivotally mounted in said rings, rods slidab-lein the rings-and forming legs to be movedl uppass, lowerlng Wardly onstriking the floor, lugs carried by. Y

the lefrsl to engage the arms and force them inwardly when the legs aremoved downwardly -byi striking the lower frame, guide rods connected ltothev rings and passing through openings inthe lower -frame, guidelrollerson the lower frame bearing on one side ofthe guide ro'ds, guiderollers on the intermediate frame bearing on. thc other side rro of theguide rods, cross pieces connectin the guide-'rods of each loweringocket, pu leys mounted on vthe upper vframe', ines connected to thecross pieces and passing over the pullays, weights connected to thelines capable of holding the lowering ockets in their upper positionsvagainst the o werframe but being overbalanced by the weight of the pinsin the lowerin pockets, catch rods journaled in thetop. an intermediateframes, teeth'fon the catch rods for engaging" the cross pieces, crankson the catch rods, handles connected to the cranks, a strip zhingedtothe intermelever connected to the' strip by fmeaiis of comprising aring,

lwhich the strip` may ybe moved to .release all of the lowering pockets.

rods securedy to the rings and passing through lopenings in the frame,suspending inea-ns for the pin lowering pockets capable ol,4 lifting theempty pockets and of. being overcome by the' weight of the teiipins inthe pockets,

12. In a pin setter, a pinlowering pocket l means for releasably holdingthe pin lowering comprising a ring, arnms pivotally mounted on the ring,a cam on each arm, a lever pivoted to the ring and adapted toride on thecams of thearins, and means controlled byx the position of the pinlowering pocket for] swinging the lever to canse the arms to move toward-or away lroni each other.

' ,l 1 3. In a pin setter, a pin lowering pocket arms pii-'otallymounted v' on the ring, a cani on each arm, 'a lever pivoted to the ring'and bearing on the cams ofthe arms, a controlling rod connected withthe lever, stops on the controlling rod,l and means for engaging thestops during the movements of the pin lowering pocket for causing thelever tofswing and A'move the arms'with relation to each other.

14.- In a `pin setter, a 'frame having open- I. ings through-whichthepins .may'pa'ss, rings forming pin lowering pockets beneath theopenings of the frame. to receive-the p ins lwhei'i placed through saidopenings, guide l pockets, said rings havin "provided with cams,

(side projections, arms pivotallyconneete `to the rings and otallyconnected and passing through the side projections' of the rings to bearagainst the cams of the arms, controllinv rods connected tofthe U-shapedlevers an frame, cross pieces connected witlithe controlling rods andslid-ably mounted on' thix guide rods, and jam nuts threaded on thecontrolling rods to form adjustable stops for engaging the frame toswing the U-shaped levers and canse the arms to move with relation. toeachother. V

In testimony whereof Iafiix my sign ature, in presence oftwo Witnesses.n

l ,l HANS J ANDERSON. Witnesses: i

W. H. Woon, RoB'r.' FARYO.

U-shaped levers `piv :l at their ends tothe rii'igs passing throughopenings in the

